justice
The writer, Zamena Manekia-Manji (Bujumbura, Burundi) is a writer for TMJ News. Born and raised in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and currently residing in Bujumbura, Burundi, her writing has evolved from fiction to Islamic, contemporary, and historical writings. She works in the history and Islamic events department at TMJ News, where she previously worked as a breaking News writer. Zamena is also a writer for 313juniors, a YouTube channel that works to produce Islamic content for little children, trying to improve her writing with each task. Through her words, she hopes to shed some light on Islamic History and share her thoughts on contemporary views through an Islamic lens, slowly doing her part towards building a better and stronger society.
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he Prophet Muhammad (SAWW), was a man with exemplary moral skills and was revered as the most trustworthy and truthful of people in ancient day Arabia. His fairness and justice is also what drew people closer to the religion of Islam, as he sought to revive humanity in a nation that had plunged deep into ignorance.
In the Holy Qur’an, Allah (swt) says,
“Certainly We have sent Our messengers with clear guidance; and We sent down to them the Book and the scale so that humans may conduct themselves with justice.” (Surah al-Hadid, 57:25)
Justice in simple terms, refers to balancing things in its proper order and creating harmony. It also means putting everything in its rightful places and balancing things in the proper order.
The Holy Prophet of Islam pioneered justice in a way that kept him ahead of his times. Despite living amongst people who plotted several schemes to kill, harm, belittle and shun him, he never let his emotions get in the way and instead, solved matters with so much justice, that if the world were to tread onto his teachings, dispute and wars would be unheard of.
Upon the Prophet and his followers’ migration to Madinah, after being tortured severely in Makkah by some of the aristocrats of the city, most of the inhabitants of Madinah accepted Islams. However, the city held a Jewish minority community who chose not to accept Islam.
The Prophet then invited them to a pact that spoke volumes of his justice and fairness.
A few excerpts of the pact are as follows:
- The Jews who enter into this covenant shall be protected from all insults and vexations; they shall have an equal right as our own people to our assistance and good offices. The Jews of the various tribes…and all other non-Muslim residents of Medina shall form with the Muslims one composite nation
- They shall practice their religion as freely as the Muslims.
- The allies of the Jews shall enjoy the same security and freedom. The guilty shall be pursued and punished. The Jews shall join the Muslims in defending Medina against all enemies. The interior of Medina shall be a sacred place for all who accept this Charter. The allies of the Muslims and of the Jews shall be as respected as the principal parties of this Charter.
The agreement also highlights how the Prophet did not enforce the religion of Islam on people even in Madinah the Prophet did not spread Islam, even in the city of Medina, by force; on the contrary, he encouraged peaceful co-existence with adherents of other faiths, especially the Jews and Christians.
Another important aspect of the Prophet’s justice was executed during the battles fought against him. After the Muslims’ victory during the first battle in Islam; despite being scarcely equipped and heavily outnumbered, they took seventy prisoners of war. This was a norm amongst societies to either kill the Prisoners of War or make them slaves. However, the Prophet instructed his people to treat the prisoners humanely, they were brought safely to Madinah and were even provided decent lodging in the houses of the people who took them.
“In pursuance of Mohamed’s commands, the citizens of Medina…received the prisoners and treated them with much consideration.’ A Western biographer Sir William Muir said.
‘Blessings be on the men of Medina’ one of the prisoners narrated, ‘they made us ride, while they themselves walked, they gave us wheaten bread to eat when there was little of it; contenting themselves with dates.”
The way the Prophet himself dealt with the prisoners was truly remarkable. The poor amongst them were released free, and those who came from wealthy families were returned for a specified ransom, but perhaps the most beautiful of cases was of those prisoners who were literate. The Prophet made a deal with them that if they could teach ten Muslim children how to read and write, they would be set free.
The rules of war were also dripping in justice and fairness. The Prophet had set standard rules, which further proves that he was never interested in waging wars contrary to the western propaganda that preached otherwise of his character.
Below are the rules he made for his comrades in a defensive Jihad:
- “Do not violate the treaties.
- “Do not kill an old person or a child or a woman.”
- “Do not cut down a tree.”
- “Neither burn down the palm-trees nor drown them with water.”
- “Do not cut down a tree bearing fruits.”
- “Do not drown the plantations.”
- “Do not poison the water of the infidels.”
This was brought about by the Prophet 1400 years ago, way before the Geneva Convention was formed, which further shows how humane, just and fair he was towards everyone, regardless of their faith, race or political power.
The aforementioned examples are just a drop in the ocean of Mercy that the Prophet practiced.
Source of Reference: https://www.al-islam.org/justice-peace-and-prophet-muhammad-sayyid-muhammad-rizvi
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